Combined swimming and life-preserving device.



G. W. LEARMAN.

COMBINED SWIMMING AND LIFE PEP-SERVING DEVICE. APPLIOATION FILED JULY10, 1911.

1 008 653 Patented Nov. 14, 1911.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

GEORGE W. LEARMAN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

COMBINED SWIMMING AND LIFE-PRESERVING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 10, 1911.

Patented Nov. 14, 1911.

Serial No. 637,668.

Swimming and Life-Preserving Devices, of'

which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in combined swimming and lifepreserving devices, all substantially as shown and described andparticularly pointed out in the claims. 4

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1.

is a perspective view of a person resting afloat on a body of water andwith my improved devices secured upon his hands and flexibly attached tohis wrists. Fig. 2 is a cross section of the device in one of severalpossible forms thereof, and Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional elevations ofmodifications of the device, as hereinafter fully described.

The idea herein is to provide a device which has buoyancy to helpsustain a person who is learning to swim or is cast adrift upon thewater from a wreck and requires a life preserver as well as means toassist in propelling him through the water. The said device is thereforemade to serve both these purposes, and to these ends the said device isconstructed and adapted to be attached to or carried by or in the hand,the buoyancy thereof being sufficient to bear the person above the waterand prevent drowning if used as one would naturally do in swimming.

In Figs. 1 and 2 I show a form of device consisting primarily of twocup-shaped parts a and 6, made of a light metal, say aluminum, andslightly tapered so as to slip or sleeve one part or member slightlyover the bottom of the other and in such way or relation as to produce apneumatic or air tight chamber 0 within the outer cup or member. Anysufiicient means may be added to the sleeving together shown to seal thedevice and prevent leakage in said chamber, and a band, guard or loop dis employed to slip over the hand and confine the device on the hand.Any suitable band or keeper d may be used for this purpose and the sameis shown as fixed at one end to the open outer member I) and engagedover a hook it on the other side. In this instance the said keeper isshown also as having a light chain with links adapted to be taken up onsaid hook to suit the size of the hand, but other and permanentlyengaged keepers may be used. The bottom cup I) also, in some cases,promotes buoyancy by the amount of air it will hold, but this portion ofthe device really becomes a propeller to engage in the water and help todraw the person along. It has a like effect when the stroke is downwardas that will naturally lift the person upward. The entire devicetherefore operates to sustain the person upon the surface of the waterand prevent drowning, and the natural use of the arms and hands by aninexperienced swimmer to prevent sinking will make the device activelyeifective even if the body assumes more or less of an upright position.An experienced swimmerwill find the device especially helpful when castadrift and he is compelled to remain in the water for an indefiniteperiod.

In Fig. 3 I show a modification wherein there are two member a and 6considerably deepened as compared with Fig. 2 and having threadedengagement at their meeting portion indicated by 2. These parts arealike and interchangeable and to this end each has a relatively-smallerouter or top portion 3 adapted to screw within the larger lower portion4 of the other member. Each member or part also has a sealed air chamber0 in its top produced by inserting a diaphragm 6 therein next beneathits threaded top portion. A cup is thus provided in or by the lowermember the same as in Fig. 2, while there is increased buoyancy in viewof the plural number of superimposed air chambers.

In 4 I show a further modification in which the cup 6 is supplementedupon its top with cork or other light floating material 7 which, forbuoyant purposes, will be substantially the equivalent of the airchambers in the other views.

Figs. 1 and 2 also show a loop or cord 8 attached to the device andadapted to be engaged about the wrist to prevent the device from beinglost though it escape from the hand. Obviously another set of thedevices may be attached to the feet or legs, if preferred.

' The chamber 0 may be compartmented and it may also be more or lessfilled with cork or the like, for buoyancy.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 4, I show the open cup 6 flared to bell shape tobetter grip the water and pocket air. The upper or closed part of eachcup shown in the several figures is adapted to separably engage withinthe lower open part, but inFig. 3 the screw threads lock the partstogether.

What I claim is:

1. A device of the class described consisting of an open approximatelycup shaped part and a pneumatic chamber thereon, and a strap engagedwith the said device to secure the same in using position.

i 2. A buoyant device to sustain a person in the water and promoteswimming com.- prising an open flaring bottom member and an air tightchamber thereon and a loop adapted to hold said parts in using position.

3. A buoyant device for a swimmer, comprising open cups having handloops and air-sealed chambers and constructed to be separably securedtogether.

4:. A buoyant propelling device for a swimmer, comprising cups havingair-sealed chambers and hand loops and screw threads externally andinternally at its opposite ends to look like cups together.

5. A device of the class described consisting of an open flaringmetallic bottom member provided with hand loops attached to the sidethereof and means secured upon the back of said member to make the samebuoyant.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE" W. LEARMAN. Witnesses:

R. B. Mosnn, F. C. MUSSUN.

- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

